The Top Resume and Cover Letter Mistakes

The Top Resume and Cover Letter Mistakes The Top Resume and Cover Letter Mistakes Maybe youre making one of these resume or cover letter mistakesFailing to ProofreadWe might be biased, but we think that grammar and spelling errors are the worst. Not only does sloppy grammar make you look unprofessional, but it also speaks to your attention to detail and your ability to communicate in the workplace. Always proofread your job search documents multiple times. The best way to do this is to print them and read them out loud. Grammarlys automated proofreading software can also help you keep your application packet out of the trash bin. According to a 2013 survey by CareerBuilder, 58 percent of hiring managers cited typos as one of the main reasons they rejected a job seekers application, so dont skip proofreadingToo Long or Too ShortPop quiz How long should a resume or cover letter be?If you answered No mora than a page, then youre, well, on the same page as most hiring managers.Googles senior VP of people relations, Laszlo Bock, has a formula for calculating resume length one page for every ten years of relevant work experience. For most job seekers outside of academia or senior management, that means a one-page resume.If squeezing your info onto a single page seems daunting, Scott Dockweiler of The Daily Muse reminds job seekers that a resume doesnt have to (in fact, shouldnt) be a chronicle of your entire career history it should be a marketing document that uses your relevant skills and experiences to illustrate to the hiring manager why youre the one for the job.Highlighting the Wrong DetailsBruce Hurwitz, president of a New York staffing firm, recommends being as specific as possible by focusing on accomplishments instead of job duties.The key is to highlight one success, Hurwitz says of cover letters. For example, I successfully increased sales 500 percent over two years, resulting in increased, sustained revenue of $25 million. Once I read that, I look at the resume.Lack of Tailoring Cover letters and resumes arent one-size-fits-all documents. Using the same generic text for every job application is a great way to ensure you never get a call for an interview.Employers want you to write a resume specifically for them, advises Peter Vogt, a senior contributing writer for Monster. They expect you to clearly show how and why you fit the position in a specific organization.Inconsistent FormattingThink formatting isnt important? Think again. Like sloppy writing, poor formatting shows hiring managers that you lack professionalism and attention to detail. It can also make your resume and cover letter a lot harder to read.Dont let your resume get out of hand with fonts and graphs and distract the reader from whats important (how qualified you are), Christine Ryan Jyotiwrites for Fast Company. If youre going to use bullets, they should be the same size and shape in each section and align from page to page.Burying the LedeIn journalism, the led e is the hook that catches a readers attention. If you bury the lede, you fail to hook your readers in the first words of your story. Your resume and cover letter should have a similar hook. Remember, hiring managers may see hundreds of applications for the same position and most of them will begin with some variation of the words I am writing to you because I want a position at your company.Here are five examples from Glassdoorof first lines that will get your cover letter noticedGrammarly wishes you the best of luck in your job search Leave a comment to let us know which of these tips works best for you.Master the art of closing deals and making placements. Take our Recruiter Certification Program today. Were SHRM certified. Learn at your own pace during this 12-week program. Access over 20 courses. Great for those who want to break into recruiting, or recruiters who want to further their career.